Biggest Turnoffs for Website Customers
How often do you check the statistics for your online business? Do you measure hits versus conversions? If you notice a wide disparity between the number of people who visit your website and the number of transactions that occur, then there might be something about your website that is turning people off. Take the time to view your website from an outsiders perspective. Or better yet, find about a half-dozen friends who can view your website and give you their honest opinions. To better guide them, use this simple checklist of issues to spot.
Incorrect/Outdated Content
Have you ever tried shopping online yourself, found an item you liked, paid for it, only to be told that it’s out of stock? Or that it’s available, but at a different, much-higher price. This is very annoying, and terribly inconsiderate, so expect a lot of complaints if your website has a lot of outdated or incorrect content.
Poorly-communicated information
Making mistakes in pricing is one thing, but hidden fees and vague pricing is a whole other matter. Not only will they turn off customers, these are just downright wrong. It’s one thing to be creative in writing content and information that manages to convince people to sign up, join or pay. It’s completely different if you are misleading possible customers. It’s wrong and it could be illegal.
Slow Loading Time
Large graphics files, background music that automatically starts as the page loads, Plug-Ins, Pop-Up screens: all these are unnecessary and in some instances, even take away from the website visitor’s experience. Learn to have graphics optimised for the web, use music only when necessary. If you need to show video, study which is the best way for it to be presented (uploading it on Youtube.com and embedding the link to your website is probably the best way to go), and avoid annoying pop-ups by keeping all of your website’s information within the browser itself.
Poor Navigation
Certain products not moving the way you want them? Maybe it’s because your customers can’t find them. Not getting enough clicks to your special promotion page? Maybe the link’s placement immediately visible. Perhaps your website looks clutter or the steps in a transaction are confusing.
Poor Service
Perhaps the answer lies in how your or your staff deal with calls and inquiries. If you don’t have an efficient system of replying to inquiries for example, and it takes you too long to reply, then you’re probably losing customers every minute. Another factor could be rude or incompetent staff who don’t feel empathy for customers. This lack of empathy is going to lose you money.
Be grateful for complaints. At least this means that someone was kind enough to take the time to give you their opinion. It could be worse. Some people will just not go back, or worse, tell others about their bad experience and convince them to avoid your website.
